First Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend is announced

Regional cities around the UK have been showing industry insiders and customers alike just how far cocktail culture has come in recent years, with a series of emerging cocktail weeks and weekends delivering mouth-watering cocktails and a great education opportunities to the people.

The Scottish capital is the most recent city to get on the bandwagon, with the first Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend (ECW) announced yesterday.

The weekend of sipping, sampling and socialising will take place from 6-8 October, with over 40 of the city’s top bars – including Harvey Nichols, Tigerlily, The Printing Press, Copper Blossom, Epicurean, Le Monde, Badger & Co and The Refinery – participating. Each will offer a signature drink exclusively to wristband holders at the steal of £4.

‘After six months of taste testing we are thrilled to finally reveal the bars that we have chosen to take part in the first Edinburgh Cocktail Weekend. Our vision is to bring the city to life with cocktails and create unique experiences through exciting brand collaborations and pop-up spaces,’ Gary Anderson, organiser of the event, told Imbibe.

‘It’s all about tasting your way around the city, discovering new bars and flavours, and feeling like you’re part of something exciting. For me, cocktails epitomise catching-up with friends, either after work on a Friday night or getting dressed-up at the weekend and hitting the town, and that’s what we are hoping to see during the weekend. We’re working with the best brands and bars so all ECW cocktails are made using premium spirits and are shaken, stirred and strained to perfection.’

Masterclasses and tastings will take place over the weekend – registration for these will open four weeks before the big event – and wristband holders can take advantage of ECW spaces and additional perks from many of the bars getting involved.

Early bird tickets are already on sale for £5 or two for £9.50, available on ECW’s websitealong with full details and the list of participating bars.